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Bronx Train Accident Lawyer

Trains were once a mainstay of our transport system—both for moving goods and moving people. While they have decreased in importance and in number, passenger and freight trains are alive and well, especially in metropolitan areas where they an essential part of the public transportation system. Trains are still with us, and they are still responsible part of auto accidents resulting in wrongful deaths and injuries. Most of us will be surprised to learn that a train accident occurs in the United States once every two hours—an average of 12 times per day! In 2012, 273 people died and 946 were injured in a total of 1,967 train accidents in the US. As a Bronx train accident lawyer for Domina Law, we have recovered millions of dollars in compensation for train accident victims and their families.

Types of Train Accidents

Common types of train accidents include:

Collisions with cars

Collisions with other trains

Collisions with pedestrians

Derailments

Failure to properly maintain tracks, equipment failure due to defect or improper maintenance, and lack of warning signals and barriers to keep pedestrians and vehicles from attempting to cross the track as a train approaches are among the most common causes of train accidents. Another is operator error.

When the railroad company has failed to provide proper safeguards to protect the public from powerful, speeding trains, when it puts improperly trained, overtired, or impaired employees at the controls, or when it fails to maintain tracks and equipment, accident victims and the surviving family members of people killed by trains have the right to make a legal claim for compensation for their damages from the railroad and its employees.

Failing to take reasonable care to avoid harm can be construed as negligence, making the railroad liable to its victims. But the railroad companies, their insurers, and their lawyers fight vigorously to avoid paying these expensive claims.

As with any government liability claim, it is important to have the best legal representation you can find to maximize your likelihood of recovering compensation. In the Bronx, train accident attorney Dino J. Domina has more than twenty years of experience in successfully bringing justice to those fallen victim to train accidents .

Causes of Train Accidents

Railroad Employee Error

When a train’s operator or any employee of the railroad is negligent in the performance of his or her job, an accident may occur as a result. Examples of employee errors are speeding, errors in switching tracks, neglecting to brake in time to stop the train, or allowing objects or debris to obstruct the tracks. Underlying causes of employee negligence may include fatigue, distraction, or impairment by drugs or alcohol.

As train accident lawyers in the Bronx, we know all too well how common these unfortunate events frequent. With several crashes occurring on the Metro-North line’s trains and tracks, which pass through the borough, a horrific derailment in 2013 near the Spuyten Duyvil Station was responsible for four deaths and 61 injuries, along with $9 million in property damage. The operator of the train appeared to be dazed and exhausted and was traveling at three times the normal speed limit going into a curve when the derailment occurred.

Inadequate, Warnings, and Barriers

Almost 93 percent of all train accident deaths occur at railway crossings. Anywhere a train intersects with a road or walkway, warning signals and barriers should be present to make it clear when it is unsafe to cross the track. It is extremely difficult for the human eye to gage the speed of an approaching train, and trains appear to be further away than they actually are, leading to dangerous misjudgments that can result in deaths. Appropriate stop signals and gates can prevent this type of crash and save lives, and it is the responsibility of the railroad to take these precautions.

These cases are difficult and complex, requiring a high level of train accident legal experience and expertise, knowledge of transport terminology and procedures, time, money, and access to industry professionals to support your claim. You will need to have a seasoned Bronx train accident lawyer working for you.

Defective or Malfunctioning Equipment Causing Train Accidents

Defective or malfunctioning equipment is another cause of train accidents. In some cases, railroad equipment malfunctions because it has not been properly maintained, for example when a broken rail causes a derailment. In others, there may be an inherent defect in the design or manufacture of a part.

Train Accident Attorney for the Bronx and the Greater New York Area

Bronx injury attorney, Dino Domina, has extensive experience representing people who have suffered serious injuries in train accidents. With more than 20 years of experience in recovering compensation for our injured clients, Domina Law is an ideal choice when you are in need of competent, results-oriented legal representation in your train accident case or wrongful death claim against a railroad.

Free Consultation

Domina Law offers a free legal consultation as a train accident lawyer in the Bronx, in which we will review your case and advise you on your legal options. Time to file is limited, contact us now at 718.962.0600. All cases are accepted on a contingency basis. You only pay after we win money for you.